Means for facilitating placing of sole members and the shaping of shoe counters



Sept. 6, 1938. F. L.. Av1-:Rs 2,129,112

MEANS FOR FACILITATING PLAGINGI OF LE MEMBERS AND THE SHAPING OF SHOE COFiled July` 2, 1935 ERS @MM/w Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFECE MEANS FOR FACILITATING PLACING F SOLE MEMBERS AND THESHAPING OF SHQE COUNTERS v Maine Application July 2, 1935, Serial No.29,478

1 Claim.

In the making of shoes it is the usual practice to tack a sole member tothe bottom of the forepart and shank of a last, centering the solemember on the last forepart first, and by eye, Without other aid thanthe skill and experience of the Workman. The heel end of the sole memberthus engages the last Wherever it may fall, no attention being paid tothis when the sole is tacked to the last. This sole is the innersole ofa shoe of the two-sole type, such as a Welt, McKay or cement processshoe. Particularly, when an initially soft counter stiiener isincorporated in the shoe upper and caused to become hard and stiff afterthe shaping of the shoe, an improper registry of the heel end oi thesole member on the last, Whether by reason of the use of an impropersize of sole member or because of faulty centering of the forepart ofthe sole member on the forepart of the last, results in a poor countercontour which detracts from the appearance of the shoe.

In accordance With the present invention, means is provided for locatingthe sole member with reference to the heel end of the last. This meansmay, if desired, be used to initially gage the placing of the solemember, or if it is still desired to locate the sole member initiallyWith reference to the last forepart, this means Will indicate whetheror`not the sole member is of the proper size for the last and will aidin determining the proper lateral position of the heel end ci the solemember with reference to the last. This heel locating means may, ifdesired, be a part of the usual metal heel seatplate of the last,against Which the heel seat tacks are clinched during the lasting of theheel seat of the shoe.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference maybe hadto the accompanying drawing, in Which Figure 1 is a side elevation of alast illustrating the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View of the heel end of the sole face of thelast shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the last heel seat plate.

Figure 4 is a detail section on line 4--4 of Figure 2, and showing asole member correctly related to the heel seat plate.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the upper materialslasted over and tacked to the heel end of the sole member.

Figures 6 and 7 are views somewhat similar to Figure 5 but illustratingthe undesirable effects of the heel end of the sole member terminatingshort of or unduly extended, respectively, with reference to the heelend of the last, and when an initially soft counter is employed, a flatheel seat plate being shown.

Referring to the drawing, at l is indicated a conventional type of lasttothe sole face of which, at its heel end, is secured a metal heel seatplate 2. As shown, the heel end of the last on its sole face is recessedas at 3, to receive this plate with its upper face I3 forming a smoothcontinuation of the sole faceY of the last immediately forwardlythereof. This plate 2 is provided with ay marginal flange 5 projectingfrom its outer face and extending about the rear edge of the plate andforwardly somewhat on opposite sides, terminating as at 6 on each side.This ilange 5 is located at the extreme margin of the heel seat face ofthe last, is relatively thin and is of a height not exceeding thethickness of a sole member Which is to be applied to the sole face ofthe last. The sole member, which is intended to be tacked to the last,is shown by dotted lines 'l in Figure l, and may be seated at its heelend Within the flange 5. It may, if desired, be initially locatedrelative to the last with reference to this iiange 5 and then is tackedto the forepart and shank of the last in the usual manner. If desired,however, the sole member may be engaged initially from the forepart ofthe last and tacked thereto, whereupon, when the heel end is broughtinto engagement With the heel seat portion of the last, it should fitnicely Within this flange if the sole member is correctly related andcentered with relation to the forepart and shank of the last and is ofthe proper size. If the workman nds that after the sole has beencorrectly located With reference to the forepart of the last, its heelend does not come into the right relation to the flange 5 he may knovvthat the sole member is not of the proper size.

When it has been determined that the sole member is of the proper sizeand is correctly related to the last it may be secured in position forthe lasting operation. During the lasting operation the outer lt, Withor Without a doubler, the initially soft counter l I, and the lining l2are brought over the heel end portion of the last and are secured inposition as by the usual nails or tacks l5, as shown in Figure 5. Theflange 5 is so positioned that the upper materials are passed smoothlyover it and the adjacent portions of the last and the sole member so asto produce the desired smooth contour over these parts. Thus a propercontour when the counter portion of the shoe is completely nished, and

the counter stiffener is rendered hard and stiff is automaticallyensured without particular attention being paid to this part of theshoe.

The effects of improperly positioned heel portions of sole members onthe last, particularly with initially soft stiffeners, is illustrated inFigures 6 and 7, where a flat heel seat last plate 2B, such as commonlyheretofore employed, is used. In Figure 6, the sole member 2| is shownas terminating at its rear end forwardly of its proper position, its endbeing located at 22. This leaves a re-entrant angle portion 23 betweenthe outer rear edge of the sole member and the outer face of the lastplate 20 into which the upper materials are more or less crowded whenthey are lasted over the shoe, thus giving a flattened or even are-entrant angle contour, as at 24, to the lower margin of the counterportion of the shoe. Where the sole member extends too far rearwardlyitmay take the position shown in Figure 7, wherein the rear end portion 30of the sole member eX- tends back from the rear edge of the sole plate2U. When the upper materials are lasted about this projecting edge aflattened or even re-entrant portion 3| is formed on the counter portionof the shoe somewhat higher up on the shoe than is the case of theconstruction shown in Figure 6. Both of these faults detract materiallyfrom the appearance of the nished shoe and are easily avoided by the useof this invention. The presence of the ange 5 of the heel seat plate ofthe last, even when the rear edge of the sole member is slightly too farforward, aids materially in preventing the formation of a re-entrantangle portion, such as shown in Figure 6, and does much to cure animproper contour even though the f1tting of the rear end of a solemember is somewhat imperfect. If the sole member extends too farrearwardly this flange 5 prevents the seating of the sole member on theheel seat plate and calls immediate attention of the operator to thefact that the sole member is improperly fitted for that particular lastor improperly related thereto, so that the operator can correct thedifliculty, which is so noticeable that it will not be overlooked andthe lasting of a shoe carried out with the parts improperly fitted.

From the foregoing description of one embodiment of this invention itshould be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications might be made without departing from the spirit or scopeof this invention as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A last having a recess at the heel'end of its sole face and a heel seatplate seated in said recess with itsouter face forming a smoothcontinuation of the sole face of the last immediately forwardly thereof,said plate having a marginal an-ge projecting from its outer face andextending about the rear edge of said plate and forwardly on oppositesides, said flange being located at the extreme outer margin of the seatface of l said plate.

FRED L. AYERS.

Cil

